Will you buy your teenager a car?

I was not allowed to have a car when I was in school. IMy parents bought me a car when I started college at the local community college. My kids worked to buy their own cars. I think they appreciated it more when they worked for it. I did occasionally let them drive my car. But then one of my daughters took my car when we were asleep. She thought I would not notice. Imagine that. No gas, milage different, seat in differnt position, radion station changed. No, of course I would not notice that. Ha

I am fast approaching when my daughter will drive also. We have thought about buying her a car, but we are not aure yet. I want to help her but I also want her to learn some responsibility too. I'm not sure if we will have the money to do it either. I am afraid if she gets her license and a car then our insurance will skyrocket also.

I think everyone's situation is different. Most kids should have to work to get a car. For some though I don't know if they could keep up in school and hold down a job. Just go with your gut instict. I would make a real contract with the child signed, witnessed by a loved one, the whole thing if I did decide to buy one. Best wishes.

I think they should wait to buy thier own and Insurance I think they appreciate it more

My son bought his own car when he was 17, he bought it from his aunt who let him make payments. Then when he graduated and was working full time, he was able to get a loan and buy a good used car. My older daughter, who is now 24, still doesn't have her licence. My youngest who will be 17, doesn't either, but she is planning on going to college after she graduates and will need one and a car, so hubby and I are talking about getting her one. She just got a job, so I think she should be responsible and pay for it herself, and her insurance. I don't want to just give her a car, I think they do appreciate things more if they have to work for it.

With my oldest son my parents gave him their old car when they bought a new one. It was nice and he kept it for a while before I bought him a different used car. My youngest son has had the same used car since I first bought him one. Both of their first vehicles were given to them but I require them to pay for their own insurance. They must also maintain their vehicles and pay for all repairs. If either of them lose their jobs then they also lose their cars.

I don't think I would buy my teen a car. I think they should work and save up their money to able to buy their own car that way they would appreciate it more. Right now my parents bought a new car for mom and let me drive the old one and I am very content and saving my money to get the car i dream of.

We have always helped our children with their vehicles at some point...the only one that we have left at home is our five yr. old.....since there are 22 yrs. between the last 2 children....I would imagine that the baby will get his car provided for him when he is old enough to drive....my husband is already talking about it...LOL We live in a rural town in Arkansas and he thinks it would be great if our baby had a hot little 4 x 4 when he gets into high school....I am sure that it will happen that way if he behaves like he should.....LOL I think if the child is working and responsible and the parents are able to do so, then there is really no harm.... I had to buy my own when I was a teenager....my mother could not afford to asist with this purchase...although since I came from another small town in Iowa...I suspect she had something to do with my first application getting approved..... I would not buy a me a new car....so I would definitely not buy my child a new one either......but we have helped with down payments, co-signed, let them make payments to us, and helped with repairs for the grown kids....

I don't forsee me buying either of my kids a car when they are old enough. The price of insurance for young male moroists in Ireland is very prohibitive. We have such a number of deaths on the roads, and so many are caused by 'boy racers' that I can see to a degree why it is a good idea to add a few stumblings blocks tot hem getting on the road.

My parents bought me a 10 year old car and I loved it becasue it was transportation. I think we would buy my daughter a used car when we get to that point, but only if I feel she is responsible enough to take care of it. My mom made us pay for the insurance and gas, but other than that my stepdad took care of maintenace. I will expect the same from my daughter.

the first car or two should be a used car as the teen will get a fender bender or two..maybe have a wreck...and learn driving skills the hard way.. many new drivers are involved with these type of accidents..so you or your teen will not feel so bad if it is a older car..but you and your teen will cry more over a new car... everyone has a story about an accident or two..sometimes it is not even our fault as people damange our cars in the parking lot...also shopping carts... the point is save your self and your teen a lot of aggravation..let them learn on an older model..it will be the wise thing to do

I think it's depends on the teenager. If you know you can trust your child, and be realistic about it then I don't see why not if the money is available. If they have good grades in school, know the value of a dollar thanI think it's perfectly ok.

i wont have kids but if i did i would buy them a car

It depends. My mom bought my brother a cheap car for his first car as a graduation gift. She wanted him to learn responsibility. I agree with that, but if my child does everything they are supposed to do, never gives me hell about it, and is a good kid, I think I might.

I don't think I will buy a car for a teenager because the teenager can drive since a little time and he/she must drive a lot a car before buy one.

I bought my son a 14 year old 4 door Toyota. The insurance agent agreed with the choice. She said too many kids get new(er) cars and then think they are cool and get stupid. My son was 17 and was responsible for his car insurance, little did I know the insurance would cost more then the car. My son was working and in afterschool activities, I don't think we should make blanket statements on what to do, some kids work hard and deserve a car, other kids are goof offs and it may lead to more problems. I bought the car for my son, but he paid the insurance and within a few months, he was also taking on his own expenses for clothing, etc. Now, I must say, he was not a stellar student, but he was a good kid.

No I sure won't....it is her responsibility to buy her own car. And if she wishes to use mine she will pay for gas and Insurance. She has a fearful lack of responsibility and I am not going to allow her to slack off and be lazy and give her everything. Time to wake up and smell the roses. When she has shown sufficient responsibility then I may help her, but no more than help.

When my brother and I started driving he got our mom's old car, and I got our dad's old truck (I'm 2yrs younger). We though it was great. Unfortunatly, my Dad's truck had a lot more miles on it because he used it to deliver livestock feed for his business so we eventually sold it an bought me another used truck. Our mom's thought was that since she could afford for us to have something reliable to drive and insurance and gas without the distraction of working part-time through high school she would. Also it meant that she no longer had to give us rides places, and we could run errands for her. We were both grateful, and it has been a big help now that we are living on our own that we're not making car payments like many of our peers. I often wonder how parents expect their kids to work to get a car if the can't get a job because they can't get to work without a car.

My plan is to have them pay half. Hubby wants to just buy them one to use.... We have 5 more years to figgure it out. :) If he can find a good cheap used vehicle and fix it up reasonably then she can use that to get to and from school and work and get a car of her own from her money that would work for me too. Because other wise she'll be sharing with her brother when he gets his license 2 years later.

My son is 21 and taking his road test in a week. We gave him our 2002 Chevy Blazer. We just bought a Ford Explorer so this worked out. He is older and he is a really awesome kid who has never given us an ounce of trouble so I have no hesitations about giving the vehicle. When I was young, I got my licence at 16 and killed myself saving to buy a car. I got one at 17, a $600 piece of junk. But my father staunchly believed that we needed to earn what we got. It's a good rule but I am not as staunch. I have a 17 year old and would not consider giving him a car or even encouraging him to drive until he was at least 18 or older. I totally don't believe kids at 16 or 17 are mature enough to get behind the wheel of a car. Yes, I did, but I was very lucky!